The Tendos' Brother
by Nathan Huss
Summary: SI. Finally got around to finish writing Chapter 1. Not good at summaries, so just read.
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 does not in any way belong to me. Any character   
not originally from the series does (hopefully).  
  
^^^^^^^^^^  
The Tendo's Brother: Prologue  
A Ranma 1/2 Self-Insertion Fanfic  
By Nathan Huss  
^^^^^^^^^^  
  
8 years BR (Before Ranma):  
  
Eight year old Akane Tendo was in her family's dojo, practicing a kata that   
her father had recently taught her. She was currently waiting for him to   
return from seeing off some of his few remaining students after that day's   
session. Their numbers were gradually decreasing, and Akane suspected that   
soon she would be the only one learning from her father.  
  
After a few minutes she realized her father had not yet returned. Curious   
as to what was keeping him from continuing with her own lessons, she headed   
out of the dojo into the yard.  
  
She was surprised to see Soun sitting on the porch talking with a foreign   
couple, while a young boy, most likely their son, tried to catch one of the   
fish in the koi pond without falling in. The boy looked like he was about   
Akane's age, and had a pair of glasses whose earpieces were hidden under a   
mop of curly brown hair.  
  
Soun looked up and spotted his youngest daughter. "Ah, Akane! Sorry to   
keep you waiting. This is Mr. Huss and his wife. They just informed me   
that they wish to sign up their son, Nathan for martial arts lessons,"   
he said, nodding toward the boy by the pond  
  
Akane looked at her father, the Huss parents, then at Nathan. In her mind,   
she was trying to decide how to view this. It could be a good thing, as   
from what Nabiki had said at one point that they needed new students soon,   
and the fact that this would get Akane a sparring partner in her own age   
group. On the other hand, it was a boy, and a gaijin at that.  
  
Nathan glanced up from the pond. Seeing Akane, he smiled awkwardly and   
stood up, brushing off his pants.  
  
"H'lo. You..." He paused as if searching for the words. "... martial   
artist?" he finished in very choppy Japanese.  
  
She eyed him critically. She had been teased a lot recently by some boys   
in her class at school when she had told them that she was a martial   
artist. "Yeah. Why? Don't you think a girl can be one?" she challenged.  
  
Nathan didn't seem to register her question, but began to hop up and down   
in excitement. "[Cool!]" he exclaimed in English. He realized he had   
switched languages and tried to correct himself. "You break stone with   
fist, like comic?" he asked.  
  
Akane slowly shook her head. "No. I can only do boards. I bet I could   
one day, though!"  
  
The boy grinned. "Neat! You show? Wanna see."  
  
Akane, happy to be able to show off, nodded. "I'm Akane," she said as she   
led him over to the dojo.  
  
The parents watched as the two children headed off. "They seem to have hit   
it off fairly well," Mr. Huss said.  
  
"Indeed," replied Soun, smiling. He turned back to face the two   
foreigners. "I'm curious as to why you decided to come here to have your   
son receive lessons. I haven't exactly been advertising lately."  
  
Mr. Huss nodded. "We recently moved here when I accepted a job teaching   
English classes at the local high school. I overheard one of my students   
mention that he was taking lessons here."  
  
"We've been having Nathan receive schooling from a private tutor since he   
doesn't know Japanese that well yet," Mrs. Huss said. "He isn't able to   
make that many friends that way, though. We thought this would give   
him a chance."  
  
Soun nodded. "Well, he seems very enthusiastic about it. I'll be glad to   
teach him."  
  
^^^^^^^^^^  
  
6 years BR:  
  
A bespectacled young boy clad in a gi hopped out of the car that had just   
pulled up in front of the Tendo residence and rushed through the gate. He   
immediately raced around the house to the yard and then into the dojo.  
  
Inside, Akane, similarly dressed, was standing in front of a stack of   
wooden planks. Her back was to the door, so she didn't notice when he crept   
in. Grinning to himself, he tiptoed up behind her, and struck.  
  
"BOO!"  
  
^^^^^  
  
Outside, Soun greeted Nathan's parents as they walked up to the house. As   
they exchanged some pleasantries, they heard a scream coming from the dojo.   
Blinking, they turned toward the noise to see a madly grinning Nathan being   
chased through the yard by Akane.  
  
"I'm still not sure why you endorse his doing things like that, Tendo-san,"   
Mr. Huss said.  
  
Soun coughed. "It's part of their training, of course. For Akane, it is   
to teach her to be able to detect an opponent trying to attack her from   
ambush, and hone her senses. For Nathan, to increase his abilities at   
stealth, and gaining tactical advantages over an opponent."  
  
They watched as Akane tried to pull Nathan down from a tree he had climbed   
into in an attempt to escape her wrath.  
  
"And the rest?" asked Mrs. Huss.  
  
"Speed, endurance, and resourcefulness training. I myself was trained in   
a similar manner."  
  
"Really?"  
  
Soun coughed again, and looked off at the horizon. "Well, it is rather   
amusing to watch the two of them."  
  
Mr. and Mrs. Huss exchanged a glance, then shook their heads. "They do   
seem to be enjoying themselves," said Mrs. Huss.  
  
"Anyway, Tendo-san, we might be a bit late to pick up Nathan after lessons,   
so could you look after him until we get back?" Mr. Huss asked.  
  
"Of course," Soun replied. "I'd be glad to."  
  
"See you later, then." They walked back to the car and drove off.  
  
After watching the car pass out of sight, Soun turned back to the two   
children. "Alright you two. Akane, let go of Nathan's head. Nathan, stop   
trying to twist Akane's leg off. Into the dojo."  
  
^^^^^  
  
Soun watched as Akane and Nathan finished sparring, and assessed each of   
them. His daughter was obviously above Nathan in skill, having begun   
training at an earlier age, and also had superior strength. However, Nathan   
had an advantage in reach and flexibility. Akane also seemed more serious   
and dedicated, while Nathan, although taking the lessons seriously, tried   
to enjoy himself as he went along.  
  
At the moment, the two children had just broken apart from an exchange of   
blows, and were standing a few meters from each other. Both were tired   
from the day's practice, and were showing it. Akane, in an attempt to   
finish the match, rushed forward with a shout.  
  
As she approached the boy, he stumbled slightly to the side. Akane,   
surprised, pulled back on her attack, only to have him attempt to grab her   
wrist to throw her. Unfortunately, he was critically unbalanced, and Akane   
easily broke free, causing him to fall.  
  
*Whump!*  
  
"Oww!" Nathan whined as he sat up. "I almost got ya."  
  
"But you didn't, so I win!" Akane crowed happily. She reached down a hand   
to help him up.  
  
He accepted it and began to rise, before pulling down suddenly and   
causing Akane to topple over. He quickly started tickling her, and she   
just as quickly began to retaliate in the same way.  
  
"That was a -hee hee!- dirty trick!"  
  
"You -ha!- still fell -haha!- for it!"  
  
"Keep still!"  
  
"Nope!"  
  
Soun found it hard to keep a straight face. Eventually he clapped his   
hands to get their attention. "All right, you two, enough." His two   
students quickly stood up and bowed to him.  
  
"Sorry, daddy."  
  
"Sorry, Sensei."  
  
Soun nodded at this, and then dismissed them. As they walked out, he could   
overhear them whispering to each other.  
  
"Where'd you even get the idea of trying that, Nate?"  
  
"I forget exactly. A comic I think. It had this guy who was really clumsy   
only he wasn't really and..." the voices trailed off.  
  
Soun glanced at the sky outside. It was nearly time for dinner, and   
Nathan's parents hadn't shown up. He hadn't expected them to be quite this   
late.  
  
Walking over to the house and into the kitchen, he found Kasumi busily   
cooking. "Kasumi-chan, have the Husses arrived yet?"  
  
She shook her head. "No, father. Is anything wrong?"  
  
"No, no. It's just that it's getting late and they haven't come to pick   
up Nathan yet."  
  
"Oh. Should I make an extra portion for him, then?" Kasumi asked.  
  
"Hm... yes, of course. We can't have him go hungry while he's under our   
care. I'll go tell him that he'll be staying for dinner."  
  
^^^^^  
  
After dinner (which had involved a fair amount of giggling on the Tendo   
girls' part as Nathan tried to use chopsticks) had been finished, Nathan's   
parents still hadn't shown up. The children had split up after eating,   
Kasumi cleaning up the dishes, Nabiki renting out some of her manga to   
Nathan (as well as hiring out her services to read the parts he couldn't),   
while Akane went to practice some more in the dojo.  
  
Looking at a clock nearby, Soun saw that it was now much too late for the   
Husses to be just 'a bit late.' Wondering if anything had happened, he   
tried to call their house, but nobody answered.  
  
About an hour later, he almost jumped when he heard the phone ring.  
  
"Tendo residence," he answered as he picked up the receiver.  
  
Unfortunately, the voice he heard on the other end was not that of either   
of Nathan's parents.  
  
"Mr. Tendo, do you currently have a boy named Nathan Huss there?"  
  
"Yes, he's here."  
  
"I'm Doctor Noro at Nerima General Hospital. I'm afraid Mr. and Mrs. Huss   
have been in a car accident..."  
  
^^^^^^^^^^  
  
3 years BR:  
  
Nathan was walking home after school. He had been going to public school   
after being taken in by the Tendo's, as it was too much for them   
financially to continue to have him learn from a private tutor, even with   
the life insurance from his parents' death.  
  
He would normally have been walking with Akane, except that she was going   
over to her friend's house to do some studying. And so, he was by   
himself when he heard scuffling in a nearby lot as he walked down the   
street.  
  
Curious, Nathan snuck over to the wall that closed off a side of the lot   
and peered around it. He then saw a group of four boys wearing masks   
crowded around another boy, who had his school bag held up like a shield.   
The boy was slightly bloodied, and had a number of bruises visible.  
  
"Great, just great..." Nathan muttered. He looked around, but saw no one   
around besides himself and those in the lot . "I guess I'm supposed to play   
a hero." He perked up for a second. "Hmm... who knows? Might be fun."  
  
Meanwhile, the masked boys had wrestled the schoolbag away from their   
victim, and were rummaging through it while simultaneously keeping him   
from getting it back or escaping. The one holding the bag pulled out a   
few yen notes, and quickly pocketed them.  
  
"Is that all you've got on you?" he demanded. "You have to have more than   
this!"  
  
"I don't have any more, I swear!"  
  
"Then you'll just have to work the toll off another way," one of the masked   
boys said. He strode forward, cracking his knuckles. Before he could reach   
his target, he felt something crash into the back of his knees, quickly   
followed by a sharp pain in the back of his head.  
  
The other three boys looked over as he toppled over, fully revealing Nathan   
standing right behind him with a small grin on his face.  
  
"Well, a sneak attack isn't quite heroic," Nathan said, mostly to himself,   
"but it _is_ a lot more effective."  
  
"What the...?!" one of the boys shouted. "Oh, man! Not him again!"  
  
Nathan blinked. "Huh?"  
  
"C'mon, let's get out of here!" The three of them ran past him and were   
quickly out of sight.  
  
Nathan stood there for a second, before shrugging. "Interesting... No   
idea what just happened there, but interesting..."  
  
He turned to the boy who had been leaning against the wall during the brief   
exchange. Nathan saw he was thin, almost gaunt, and had dark circles around   
his eyes, giving them a sunken look.  
  
Nathan picked up the boy's schoolbag from where it had been dropped, and   
dusted it off a bit before passing it over. "You all right?" he asked.  
  
The boy nodded and took the bag. "Y-yeah. Thanks."  
  
Nathan kneeled down next to the fallen mask-wearing teenager, and took the   
mask off of his face. On seeing the face, he tilted his head in thought.  
  
The gaunt boy walked over and looked down at the prone figure. "Do you   
know him?"  
  
Nathan was silent for a moment before a look of recognition hit his face.  
  
"I think so. This guy and a few others thought I would be an easy target,   
what with having glasses and being a foreigner." Nathan prodded the boy on   
the ground with his foot, eliciting a groan. "Of course, compared to   
sparring with Akane, those guys were comparatively easy. Anyway, I'm   
Nathan Huss." He held out his hand.  
  
"Hikaru Gosunkugi," the boy said, shaking hands with Nate. Hikaru blinked.   
"Did... did you say... Akane?"  
  
^^^^^^^^^^  
  
1 year BR:  
  
Nathan looked at Nabiki from where he was watching the TV in the living   
room. "You want me to what?"  
  
Nabiki smiled. "Nothing major. A classmate of mine was out sick today, and   
the teacher picked me to bring him today's notes and work. I have to go to   
a meeting with some of my friends, and don't have time to go over to his   
place. So... could you do it for me?"  
  
"Nah," Nathan replied, and turned back to the TV.  
  
"Oh, come on. It's not like you're actually doing something important."  
  
Nathan didn't even turn around. "Sorry."  
  
Nabiki stood there for a few seconds, then sighed. "All right. A box of   
Pocky."  
  
He immediately turned around. "Two boxes."  
  
"Okay, but only because I'm in a hurry," Nabiki said, grimacing.  
  
"Drat, I should have asked for three, then." Nathan shrugged, and stood   
up. "So, who am I bringing the stuff to?"  
  
"Tatewaki Kuno."  
  
^^^^^  
  
"Whoa..."  
  
Nathan looked up at the mansion located at the address Nabiki had given   
him.  
  
"Nabiki's classmate lives _here_? What is he doing at a public school?"  
  
Still a bit in awe, he walked up to the front door and rang the bell.   
After about a minute or so, the door opened. He was greeted by a girl wearing   
a black school fuku. The girl had her black hair tied up high and slightly   
to the side in a ponytail. She had a haughty look in her brown eyes as she   
appeared to examine him.  
  
"May I help you?" she asked impatiently.  
  
"Oh, right... sorry. I'm here to deliver this classwork to... er...   
Tatewaki Kuno."  
  
She raised one eyebrow questioningly. "Oh? I do not recall my brother   
saying that a... foreigner was in his class, and I am fairly certain he   
would have mentioned if one was."  
  
Nathan grinned slightly. "Ah, I'm not, actually. Nabiki was supposed to   
bring it over, but she had to go do something, so she's having me do it   
for her."  
  
"Nabiki... Tendo?" the girl asked, and Nathan nodded. "Ah, her, my brother   
has spoken of oft. I am Kodachi Kuno. Please follow me." With that, she   
retreated back into the mansion.  
  
The inside of the Kuno home looked just as impressive as it had been   
outside, with a large number of paintings, tapestries, and other   
decorations. Nathan craned his head around as he tried to keep everything   
in view.  
  
Kodachi stopped next to a small table that had a bowl of rice crackers on   
it, and held out her hand. "I will bring my brother the papers. If you   
wish, you may have a small snack while you wait."  
  
"Sure." Nathan handed over the classwork and took a cracker as she walked   
away.  
  
Several minutes, and crackers, later, Kodachi came back, and seemed   
slightly surprised when she saw him. She quickly recovered before Nathan   
could notice, and walked over. "My brother thanks you for bringing his   
classwork. Did... you enjoy the snack?"  
  
Nathan nodded as he swallowed the last of his most recent cracker. "Yeah.   
The taste seemed a bit off, but otherwise was fine. Well, I hope he feels   
better soon. Goodbye, and thanks again for the snack."  
  
He began to leave, but was stopped by Kodachi. "Do you have to go right   
away? I am a bit curious as to why Nabiki Tendo chose you to deliver the   
classwork."  
  
"Eh? Oh, that. I've been living with the Tendos for about five years,   
ever since... Anyway, I usually help out when they ask. That's   
pretty much it."  
  
"Ah, I see. Hmm... the Tendos have a dojo, do they not? Do you yourself   
practice martial arts?" Kodachi asked.  
  
Nathan's eyebrow quirked, as he was surprised at the attention he was   
receiving. Mentally shrugging, he answered. "Yes. I'm a student of the   
Tendo School of Anything-Goes Martial Arts. That's sorta how I ended up   
staying with them, even."  
  
"Really? Do tell."  
  
"Er..." He paused for a moment. "Okay, I guess. If you really want to   
hear it. If you don't mind, could I have a glass of water or something   
first? My throat is a bit dry from the crackers."  
  
Kodachi's eyes lit up, as if she had been waiting for this. "Of course.   
I'll just be a moment."  
  
After she had headed off to the kitchen, Nathan shook his head in   
bewilderment. Other than the Tendo sisters, girls ignored or avoided him   
for the most part. The attention he was receiving was very out of the   
ordinary.  
  
While he was pondering this, Kodachi was stirring a glass of water that she   
had just put a measure of powder in. When the powder was fully dissolved,   
she smiled, and walked back out to where Nathan was waiting.  
  
"Here you are," she said, handing the glass to him. He took it, and drank   
it down in a few large gulps.  
  
"Thanks," he said, placing the empty glass on the table. He looked up to   
see Kodachi staring at him intently, as if waiting for something.  
  
"Um... is something wrong?" he asked.  
  
"No, no..." Kodachi inwardly grimaced. The paralysis drug laced into the   
crackers might have been a bit old, but that dose that she had put in the   
water had just been mixed earlier that day. The boy should have been   
affected immediately!  
  
Originally she had just planned to render him immobile, toy with him for a   
while like a cat with a mouse, and then deposit him outside. But his   
resistance to the mixtures he had just been given came as a great surprise.  
  
Suddenly, a realization dawned on her. While he may not have been an   
amusement like she had first thought, he might be something else.  
  
A challenge.  
  
^^^^^^^^^^  
  
4 months BR:  
  
Akane, Nabiki, and Nathan walked alongside each other as they went to   
school.  
  
"What was that big commotion yesterday?" Nathan asked Akane. "There was   
this large crowd of people over by the gym after school, but I was busy   
cleaning the classroom so I couldn't go see what it was."  
  
"Stupid boys..." was all the response he got.  
  
"Huh?"  
  
Akane looked up. "Oh, sorry. I didn't mean you, Nate. It's Kuno-sempai   
and the rest of the bakas."  
  
"Oh?"  
  
Akane just started grumbling again.  
  
Nathan glanced to Nabiki, who shrugged. "I'll tell you what happened for...   
one box of Pocky."  
  
Nathan stuck his tongue out at her briefly, but was smiling while he   
did. "Deal."  
  
^^^^^  
  
Kuno stood near the back of the mob of boys, waiting. Just the other day   
he had made his proclamation, laying down the terms that anyone trying to   
date Akane Tendo would have to follow. He, of course, was the only one   
actually capable of defeating her, so he had no fear of her falling to any   
of the lesser combatants (i.e. everyone else).  
  
"Hey, she's coming!" a boy from in front called out.  
  
'Excellent,' Kuno thought. 'Soon the fair Akane Tendo will be-'  
  
"What are all you morons doing!?"  
  
'-mine?'  
  
Kuno looked toward the gate and saw a tall, brown-haired gaijin standing   
just in front of Akane and Nabiki Tendo, yelling at the crowd. He   
immediately strode forward to see what was going on.  
  
"I can't believe you people!" Nathan continued to shout. "_This_ is what   
you think will get Akane to go out with you? You'll be lucky if you don't   
get more than a concussion and a few broken bones for trying something   
like this!"  
  
Akane, who was holding her head with one hand and had a slightly   
embarrassed look on her face, looked like she was about to either try to   
pull him back or hit him. Nabiki was merely standing to the side with a   
slight look of interest as she watched.  
  
"Who are you to dispute the conditions that I hath lain down, gaijin?"   
Kuno demanded, now at the front of the group. Now that he was closer,   
he thought the boy looked slightly familiar. "I know you, do I not?"  
  
"I'd think so. I've been over to your house a bunch of times in the last   
few months to help Kodachi with some of her studies."  
  
Recognition finally reached Kuno. "Ah, yes. My sister's new plaything.   
Huss, is it not?"  
  
Nathan blinked. "'Plaything'? What do you-"  
  
"No matter!" interrupted Kuno. "What makes you think you can interfere   
with this? It is of no concern of yours."  
  
"I've been living with the Tendos for almost eight years now, and while I   
may not be family, I'm close enough that it is my concern."  
  
Kuno's expression darkened, and tried to loom over Nathan to intimidate   
him. It would have worked better if the other boy, though a year younger,   
had not actually been a bit taller. "Hurry along to your class, gaijin,   
lest you provoke my temper. I do not expect you to understand the honor   
in our methods."  
  
Nathan stared at Kuno for a second, blinked, and then laughed.  
  
Kuno fumed for a few moments. "Whelp! I would have allowed thee to pass   
unharmed, but this show of disrespect forbids me to do so! You shall not   
be allowed to trespass into these halls of knowledge any longer! To do so,   
you must defeat us first!" With that, he swung his bokken.  
  
And so, the daily fights of Akane and Nathan versus nearly half the male   
student body began.  
  
^^^^^^^^^^  
  
43 minutes BR:  
  
Soun Tendo sat on the porch of his house, holding a postcard. Tears ran   
from his eyes as he read the message written on the back.  
  
"At last, Ranma is finally coming," he said. "How I have waited for this   
day!" He stood up and went to get his daughters.  
  
In the kitchen, cleaning up after lunch: "Kasumi!"  
  
In her room, reading a magazine: "Nabiki!"  
  
_Not_ in her room, or anywhere in the house: "Akane?"  
  
Soun went to the living room, where his eldest two daughters were already   
waiting. "Have either of you seen Akane?"  
  
Before either of them could reply, they heard a loud shout.  
  
"Come back here!"  
  
There was the sound of running feet, which went off into the distance.  
  
Nabiki smirked slightly at the noise. "It looks like she just went out   
'jogging' with Nate-chan again."  
  
^^^^^  
  
"Having fun back there, 'Kane?"  
  
Nathan had an enormous grin on his face as he glanced behind to where Akane   
was running after him.  
  
"Give me back my necklace!" she yelled back.  
  
He jumped over a fence, cut through a backyard, went over another fence,   
and continued down the street. Akane was just a few steps behind, keeping   
up with him in spite of his longer stride.  
  
"I only took it as an incentive!" He kicked off against a lamppost with   
one leg so that he almost instantly turned 90 degrees to head down a   
sidestreet. "You were ignoring me when I was trying to ask you something!"  
  
"I was listening to music on my headphones, and that's still no reason!"  
  
It had began to rain as Nathan zipped down an alley. He leaped over a   
large pile of discarded boxes, and soon heard a muffled crash behind him   
as he continued on.  
  
'Oh... she's really going to be mad when she catches me now...' he thought,   
glancing back. As he suspected, Akane had just failed to clear the boxes   
and was now sprawled out among them, but was quickly getting back to her   
feet.  
  
Looking behind him, he failed to see another figure   
running down the street he had just turned onto.  
  
*CRASH!*  
  
The two colliding people fell to the ground, partially dazed.  
  
"Watch where you're goin', ya big jerk!"  
  
Nathan shook his head to clear it and saw that he had crashed into a short,   
red-haired girl. She was wearing a red Chinese shirt, black pants, and was   
glaring at him from her own spot on the ground.  
  
Before he could apologize, two sounds reached them.  
  
"Grrrowrr!" "Nathan!"  
  
They blinked, looked in the directions that they had been running from, and   
then hopped to their feet and dashed away from their pursuers.  
  
"Look, really sorry about that, but I've gotta run," Nathan said as he   
turned down another street.  
  
"Yeah, well watch where you're going next time!" the girl shouted back, as   
she continued straight on down the street. If Nathan had been looking back,   
he would have seen a large panda charging after the girl.  
  
^^^^^  
  
Akane continued to chase Nathan for several more blocks as he led them   
back to the Tendo Dojo. Once he reached the gate he nearly dived inside   
and collapsed to his knees, panting for breath. "Safe!"  
  
A shadow covered him, and he looked up to see Akane standing over him.  
  
He chuckled nervously. "Eh-heh... Or maybe not. Um, here." He held out   
the necklace he had taken like a peace offering.  
  
Akane snatched it out of his hand, and put it on. "Hmph! Now then, what   
was it you wanted to ask me that was so important that you had to steal   
this instead of finding another way of getting my attention?"  
  
"Oh, right. It was..." he trailed off. "Hmm... I forget."  
  
"Baka." She hit him over the head once with her fist.  
  
"That's it!" he exclaimed, and stood up. "I was going to ask if you wanted   
to spar!"  
  
Akane shook her head, smiling softly. "I would, actually. Meet me in the   
dojo in ten minutes."  
  
As they walked into the house to change out of their wet clothes into their   
gi, they were met by Soun.  
  
"What started it this time?" he asked.  
  
"Nothing," they replied in unison.  
  
Soun glanced between the two drenched teenagers, and then sighed. "Very   
well. Akane, could you come to the living room? I have something I need   
to talk with you and your sisters about."  
  
"Right now? I was going to go spar with Nate," she said.  
  
"I'd like you to hear this first. You can spar when I'm done; it shouldn't   
take too long.  
  
"All right."  
  
"Should I come as well?" Nathan asked.  
  
"No, Nathan. I'm afraid it's a fami-" Soun caught himself. "I mean, it   
really only concerns the girls."  
  
"Oh. Okay." Almost imperceptibly, Nathan's shoulders slumped down. "I'll   
be waiting for you in the dojo, Akane."  
  
^^^^^  
  
A bit later, after changing into her gi, Akane sat in next to her sisters   
in the living room.  
  
"A fiancée?!"  
  
Soun nodded. "Yes. His name is Ranma Saotome, and he is the son of a   
good friend of mine, Genma Saotome."  
  
"Why didn't we hear about this sooner, daddy?" asked Nabiki.  
  
"More to the point, how can you expect one of us to get married to someone   
just like that?" Akane huffed. "Don't we even have a choice in the matter?"  
  
"She's right, father," said Kasumi. "We've never even met Ranma."  
  
"That's solved easily enough. They should be arriving within the hour."  
  
There was a drawn out moment of silence.  
  
"So, what's this Ranma like?" asked Nabiki. "Is he cute?"  
  
"How old is he?" added Kasumi.  
  
"I have no idea," said Soun. "I've never met him."  
  
There was another moment of silence.  
  
Soun coughed. "The two of them have been on a training journey. Just   
recently they came back from an excursion into China."  
  
"Big deal," said Akane.  
  
"I dunno, sis," Nabiki said. "That's kind of neat."  
  
It was then that the Tendos heard the sounds of scuffling near the front of   
the house.  
  
"L'go of me, oyaji!"  
  
"That must be them!" Nabiki said. She ran toward the front door, followed   
closely by Soun.  
  
"I don't believe this," Akane muttered as she and Kasumi trailed after them.  
  
The eldest and youngest Tendo sisters were surprised to see Nabiki and Soun   
running back in their direction, with panicked looks on their faces. They   
were even more surprised to see a large panda walking down the hall,   
carrying a squirming figure over one shoulder.  
  
Nabiki and Kasumi got behind their father, and peeked around him.  
  
"We should have had Nate-chan in here," Nabiki said, cracking a nervous   
grin. "He makes a better shield."  
  
"C'mon, put me down!" the figure the panda was carrying shouted. "You're   
scarin' 'em spitless!"  
  
"Are these your friends, father?" Kasumi asked. Soun shook his head   
violently in reply.  
  
The panda placed the figure onto the floor in front of them.  
  
"Er... hi."  
  
Soun blinked. "You wouldn't happen to be...?"  
  
"Ranma Saotome. Sorry 'bout this," the red-haired girl said, fiddling with   
her pig-tail.  
  
^^^^^^^^^^  
  
Author's Notes:  
  
Ta-da! And so the prologue is finished with.  
  
Some people will probably notice that I had posted a 'chapter 1' of this fic   
already. While I did, I had gotten a number of... while not being really bad,   
a number of negative C&Cs from readers. Because of the number of them, among   
other things, I decided to just reset a bit and start over. I think this   
second time around it is turning out much better, and hope that those who had   
complaints about the first feel it is an improvement as well. If not, too bad.  
  
Anyway, much thanks to those who preread for me: Richard Robinson   
(RICHARDROBINSON@prodigy.net), Zohar (myrmiddon@hotmail.com), Mike 'Kino   
Makoto' Koos (makoto@mother.com), Taiteki Kagato (Taiteki_Kagato@aol.com),   
TooWolves (kinnisonmn@vf103.navy.mil), Hpackrat (hpackrat@yahoo.com), Gemini3   
(thrdtwin@hotmail.com), Master Jahaj (jahaj@bellsouth.net), Cute Kitsune   
Kaydee (fox1@colla.com).  
  
Ah well... that's pretty much it then. C&C is welcomed. On to chapter 1! 


	2. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 and its characters belong to someone else.   
Not me. Don't sue. Simple, no?  
  
^^^^^^^^^^  
The Tendos' Brother: Chapter One  
A Ranma 1/2 Self-Insertion Fanfic  
By Nathan Huss  
^^^^^^^^^^  
  
Nathan paused in the kata he was practicing, hearing footsteps coming   
towards the dojo. Grinning, he immediately and quietly scrambled over   
to the entrance, and hid next to the open doorway, making sure that his   
shadow wasn't visible to someone from the outside.  
  
The sound of footsteps stopped just a few feet from the entrance.   
Nathan listened closely for any further movement, but could detect none.  
  
That was why he was very surprised when he found himself grabbed by the   
collar of his gi and slammed against the wall.  
  
"Ooof! What the!?" He tried to get a look at his attacker, but then   
realized that he could mostly see only a large amount of red hair, as the   
assailant was a good deal shorter than he was.  
  
"Nathan, when are you going to grow out of this?" Akane asked from a few   
feet away.  
  
Nathan was let go and the person took a few steps back, allowing him to   
get a better look at the girl who had attacked him. "Huh? You mean this   
guy wasn't trying to ambush us?" she asked. She looked up and him, and a   
look of recognition appeared on her face. "Hey! You're that guy from   
earlier."  
  
"Heh heh. Yeah. Again, sorry about that. I was in a hurry," Nathan said   
sheepishly.  
  
"Oh, you've already met?" asked Akane. "When?"  
  
"Right after the alley," said Nathan.  
  
"'Right after...' Oh, you mean earlier when I was chasing you?"  
  
Ranma looked from one to the other. "You mean she's the one you were   
runnin' from?" she asked Nathan. The boy nodded.  
  
"I'd wondered why you had less of a head start after that," Akane said.   
"Anyway, Nathan, this is Ranma Saotome. Ranma, this is Nathan Huss."  
  
"Nice ta meet you," Ranma said, nodding. "Why _were_ you hiding like   
that, though?"  
  
"Nothing major, just trying to surprise Akane as she came in. Keep her   
on her toes, you know? I do it all the time."  
  
"Oh, you mean like for training?" Ranma asked. "I get it."  
  
Akane grumbled for a moment about how it was training she wished he didn't   
have so much fun with. "I offered to let Ranma watch while we sparred,   
Nate. Is that all right with you?"  
  
Nathan nodded. "Sure, I don't mind."  
  
With that, the three of them walked into the dojo, Nathan and Akane taking   
up positions near the center of the training hall while Ranma stood off to   
the side.  
  
Akane and Nathan nodded to each other, moved into combat stances, and then   
rushed in at each other.  
  
Akane started off with a quick leg sweep, which Nathan just hopped over,   
and followed up with a brief flurry of punches. Nathan backpedaled   
slightly, batting Akane's strikes off target when they came close, and   
then lashing out with his own.  
  
They continued for a bit to merely trade blows, attacking and blocking,   
before Nathan began to advance on Akane, assaulting her from a distance with   
his longer limbs while she retreated from him.  
  
Akane was driven back several feet until she made a grab for one of Nathan's   
arms as he pulled it back after a punch. Instead of trying to yank it out   
of her grasp, however, he rushed forward, and managed to hook his foot behind   
her leg in an attempt to trip her. The maneuver succeeded, sending Akane   
toward the floor, but she had kept her grip on his arm, and used his momentum   
from advancing to flip him over.  
  
Both of them had their backs slammed against the floor, and immediately struggled to get back up first. Akane managed to rise first, and so was able   
to move into position to attack as Nathan finally stood.  
  
She struck at him from close range, and moved with him to prevent him from   
trying to use his long reach again. He kept backing up, trying to give   
himself enough distance from her so that he could retaliate, but ended up   
nearly being forced into the wall of the dojo.  
  
At that point he managed to put enough space between himself and Akane, and   
tried for a kick. Akane ducked under it, and performed another sweeping   
kick that knocked him back to the floor. The force from the impact knocked   
the air out of his lungs, and he just lay there and the ground trying to   
catch his breath.  
  
"You... win... this time," he gasped eventually.  
  
Akane grinned and wiped some sweat off from her forehead with her sleeve,   
then offered a hand to help him up. Nathan took it, paused for a moment as   
if considering something, but then dismissed it before standing.  
  
"Good match," Nathan said. He readjusted his glasses, which had barely   
managed to stay on his face. He turned to Ranma, who had walked up next to   
them once the match had ended. "What did you think?" he asked the redhead.  
  
Ranma hesitated for a moment before answering. "Well, you're both pretty   
good. Akane has some real power behind her blows, but you're fairly decent   
at avoiding them."  
  
"Thanks," Akane said, smiling. "Do you want to spar sometime? I'd like to   
see how good you are if you've been on a training trip for 10 years."  
  
"Um, sure. That'd be great."  
  
Nathan stretched, wincing slightly as he felt some of the injuries he had   
just suffered protest the movement. "Training trip?" he asked.  
  
Ranma nodded. "Yeah. Pop and me have been going around trainin' in the Art   
for about ten years now. Apparently he's an old friend of Mr. Tendo, and   
wanted to visit."  
  
"I see," said Nathan, nodding. "Anyway, I'm gonna go grab a snack. Nice   
meeting you, Ranma."  
  
"Sooo... he a student at the dojo or somethin'?" Ranma asked after Nathan   
had walked outside.  
  
"Yeah, something like that," Akane said. "He's been living with us for   
about six years since his parents died."  
  
Ranma's eyes widened at that. "Man, both of 'em?"  
  
Akane nodded. "It doesn't seem to bother him that much anymore, but it   
would probably be best not to ask him that much about it."  
  
"Got ya."  
  
"Well, I'm going to go see if Daddy is feeling better," Akane said. "I   
still can't believe he just fainted like that when he found out you were   
a girl."  
  
"Eh-heh... Yeah."  
  
^^^^^  
  
Nathan, having changed out of his gi into some normal clothing, pulled a box   
of cookies out of one of the cabinets in the kitchen, and immediately began   
to eat.  
  
"I really wish you wouldn't eat so much so close to supper," Kasumi said as   
she prepared food for dinner.  
  
"I'm just having a small snack," Nathan replied. "Anyway, I'm a growing boy."  
  
"You always say that when you're snacking."  
  
"It's still true, after all-"  
  
Nathan was cut off as Nabiki walked into the kitchen.  
  
"Hey, do either of you know who that man talking to Daddy is?" the middle   
Tendo daughter asked, and snatched a cookie out of Nathan's hand.  
  
"Got me," Kasumi replied.  
  
"Didn't even notice him," said Nathan, fishing another cookie out of the   
box. "Why don't you ask him now?" he asked as he noticed Soun walking into   
the kitchen.  
  
^^^^^  
  
Ranma walked around the dojo for a bit, looking at the equipment and the   
small shrine on the wall, before a large, bespectacled man wearing a white   
gi and bandanna came in and strode towards her.  
  
"Why haven't you taken this opportunity to change back?"  
  
"I don't wanna freak 'em out," Ranma said. "They first saw me like this,   
and if I show up as a guy they wouldn't recognize me. Hey, pop?"  
  
"What?" her father asked.  
  
"We've been traveling for a while, and I never really thought about it,   
but..."  
  
"Out with it, boy."  
  
"How come we've never gone to see mom? I don't know where she lives. Heck,   
I'm not even sure if she's still alive or not."  
  
"Your mother... aah... Why the sudden interest?"  
  
"I just met this guy, Nathan. Found out he lost both his parents a long   
while back, and it just got me thinkin' a bit."  
  
"Nathan? Oh, that boy Tendo spoke about. Yes, very tragic about that.   
Anyway, come on. Now that I've explained things to Soun, we can get back   
to deciding who will your fiancée."  
  
"Oh, that reminds me, oyaji," Ranma said, cracking her knuckles. "I'm still   
not happy 'bout you just telling me that today."  
  
^^^^^  
  
Back in the house, the Tendos were once again gathered in the living room,   
as well as Nathan this time.  
  
"Now what is it, daddy?" Akane asked. "I was going to go take a bath."  
  
"I've just found out that things may not be as bad as I thought they would   
be," Soun said.  
  
"You're not going to engage Nathan to Ranma, are you father?" asked Kasumi.  
  
(In the midst of her fight with Genma, Ranma suddenly flinched.)  
  
"Oh, no," Soun said, laughing. "Whatever would make you think I'd do   
something like that?"  
  
A moment of silence...  
  
Which, before any of the teenagers could get around to answering Soun's   
question, was broken by the sounds of combat coming from the back yard.  
  
"Get back here, oyaji!"  
  
"Ranma, this is no time to be fooling around. Now calm down and-"  
  
Splash!  
  
"- Growf!" finished Genma after being tossed into the koi pond.  
  
"Hah! Serves you right! I..." Ranma trailed off as she saw that the rest   
of the household was standing on the porch and had just witnessed her   
father transform into a panda.  
  
^^^^^  
  
"What's going on here?" asked Nabiki as her father walked in from the   
kitchen with a kettle of boiling water.  
  
"I'll explain," replied Soun. He quickly walked over to the panda that   
was sitting across from them. "This," he said, pouring some of the water   
over the panda, "is my old friend, Genma Saotome."  
  
"Yeow! Not so hot, Soun!"  
  
"Sorry, Genma. And this is his son, Ranma."  
  
Ranma dodged out of the stream of boiling water Soun tried to pour on   
her. "Watch it with that!" she exclaimed.  
  
"Stop whining, boy," Genma admonished, grabbing both Ranma and the kettle.   
He quickly doused Ranma.  
  
"Hot!" Ranma shouted.  
  
Akane, Nathan, Nabiki, and Kasumi sat wide-eyed as the short, red-haired   
girl transformed into a taller, black-haired boy.  
  
"Er... sorry 'bout this," Ranma said sheepishly.  
  
There was an audible *blink* from the other teenagers. In stereo no   
less.  
  
"Ya see!? This is what I wanted to avoid!" Ranma shouted at his father.  
  
"Quit whining, boy!" Genma retorted. "It's best to get these things out   
of the way quickly. They'd have had to find out eventually."  
  
"What's going on, Father?" Kasumi asked as the two Saotomes continued   
arguing with each other.  
  
Soun sighed. "Well, from what Saotome has told me, it all happened at a   
place called Jusenkyo..."  
  
^^^^^  
  
After the Saotomes had calmed back down, Genma related the tale of Ranma's   
and his experience at the Cursed Springs of Jusenkyo. As he reached the   
end of the story, Ranma was livid with the memories it brought back.  
  
"If you had just listened to the damn Guide, oyaji!" Ranma growled as he   
grabbed the collar of his father's gi.  
  
Genma reversed the grab and tossed Ranma into the koi pond. "I didn't see   
you hesitating to leap up onto the poles with me, boy!"  
  
Sputtering, Ranma-chan surfaced. "That's 'cause I made the mistake of   
thinking you actually knew what you were doin' for once!"  
  
The two once again started fighting.  
  
"Why do I get the feeling that this is a common occurrence for them?"   
Nathan commented, as he and the Tendo sisters looked on.  
  
"Oh, dear. I hope they don't- *crash!* -never mind," Kasumi said. "I   
don't suppose you'll be able to fix that, Nathan?"  
  
"Yeah, sure. Say, just wondering, but shouldn't we stop them before   
anything else gets broken?" asked Nathan.  
  
"You go right ahead. I'll watch from over here," said Nabiki.  
  
"Nabiki..."  
  
While those two were talking, Akane walked right up to where the two   
Saotomes were now fighting outside and stood in between them, causing them   
to stop.  
  
"Mr. Saotome, You went way too far!" Akane exclaimed. "Dad never did   
anything like that training me and Nate!"  
  
Genma looked over to Soun. "He didn't? Well, I shouldn't be surprised.   
After all, there's no way a girl could endure the hardships to become a   
true martial artist, and as for-"  
  
*WHAM!* *SPLASH!*  
  
Akane stomped back to the porch, and then glared at Nathan and Nabiki, who   
were barely containing smirks. "He deserved that."  
  
"My, my... Did we say anything, Nate-chan?" Nabiki said innocently.  
  
"Not a thing. Didn't make a single comment, Nab," he replied in the same   
tone of voice.  
  
"If forced to, though," continued Nabiki, in a more normal tone of voice,   
"I would commend you for sticking up for Ranma like that, and suggest you   
for his fiancée. See you!" She retreated back into the house before Akane   
could respond.  
  
"That's a wonderful idea! It's decided then. Akane will be Ranma's   
fiancée," Soun said.  
  
"I- but- wha- NO! Don't I get a say in this!?" Akane shouted.  
  
Unfortunately, everyone had vanished back into the house, except for Ranma.   
She stood there, just as stunned as Akane was. In the background, Soun and   
a once-again-human Genma congratulated themselves for picking such an   
obviously perfect match.  
  
^^^^^  
"Stupid oyaji," Ranma-chan muttered as she walked towards the bathroom.   
"Pullin' something like this... One of these days I'm gonna..."  
  
Her thoughts turned toward her newly acquired fiancée. 'Being forced into   
this mess really sucks.' She stepped into the bathroom and started getting   
ready for her bath.  
  
'Still, Akane does seem pretty nice, though. Cute, too,' she thought as she   
opened the door to the furo. She stopped suddenly, finding herself face to   
face with Akane, who had just gotten out from finishing her own bath.  
  
Akane did not look happy.  
  
"Er... um... s-sor-" Ranma-chan had a very flustered look on her face as she   
saw Akane's lack of dress.  
  
"Aaaaah!" Akane screamed in embarrassment. "Hentai!"  
  
*WHAM!*  
  
Akane quickly grabbed a towel to cover herself with and her clothes, and   
ran out.  
  
'Ouch...'  
  
^^^^^^^^^^  
  
The next morning...  
  
"What do you mean I have to go to school?" Ranma asked.  
  
"Can't have you laying about the house all day," Genma replied. "Besides,   
it will be a good chance for you to get to know your fiancée better."  
  
"I don't want to get to know her better!" Ranma exclaimed. It was then that   
he realized that Akane had just walked into the room. Proving his fears   
that she had heard him, she began to glare at him.  
  
"Who'd want to know you either, hentai!" she growled. Turning, she stormed   
back out. "Nathan! Hurry up or you'll be late!"  
  
"Aw, I didn't mean it like that," Ranma tried to apologize, following her   
out. Unfortunately, all he got for trying was a schoolbag slammed into his   
gut.  
  
"Nathan!" Akane called again.  
  
"Coming!"  
  
Akane ignored Ranma as she waited for Nathan. After a few moments the   
bespectacled boy bounded down the staircase.  
  
"You have got to start waking up earlier," Akane said.  
  
"I'm not a morning person," he replied. "I need more sleep."  
  
"You wouldn't need more sleep if you didn't stay up late reading manga."  
  
Nathan just grumbled slightly. Then he looked around. "Did Nab leave   
already?"  
  
"She went on ahead since you were taking so long," Akane said. "She also   
said that I should walk with my... fiancée." She nearly spat out the last   
word.  
  
Nathan either didn't notice or ignored her tone of voice. "Right. Oh,   
morning, Ranma."  
  
Ranma nodded in response, and then turned to Akane. "Look, I didn't mean   
what I said like that."  
  
"Oh? Just what _did_ you mean, then?" she asked.  
  
"I just meant that... I mean... aaaah..."  
  
"Let's go, Nate," Akane said crossly.  
  
"Uh, right."  
  
The three of them headed out. Akane and Nathan walked on the sidewalk,   
while Ranma was up on top of a wall next to them. Both Akane and Ranma were   
silent as they walked, leaving Nathan to glance between them in confusion.  
  
"Soooo..." he began slowly.  
  
"How could you just dump me with this?" said Akane.  
  
Nathan blinked. "Excuse me?"  
  
"You all just left me to become engaged to this... this hentai!"  
  
"Hey, quit callin' me that!" Ranma shouted.  
  
"You walked in on me in the bath!"  
  
"It was an accident!"  
  
"Yeah, right! And where do you think you're going?"  
  
"Aaah... to school?" Nathan answered warily as his attempt to sneak away   
failed.  
  
"Nice try. Answer the question."  
  
"Look, it had nothing to do with me," Nathan said. "It was either you, Nab,   
or Kasumi. They dumped it on you, not me. I just got out of the potential crossfire. Discuss it with them."  
  
"Still, just leaving me there with this hentai..."  
  
Ranma jumped down and stood in front of Akane. "Stop callin' me that! It   
was an accident, honest! And as for what I said earlier, I was just angry   
at the old man for pulling this whole fiancée thing."  
  
"You didn't have to be so rude about it," Akane retorted.  
  
"Geez, I was just-"  
  
*Splash!*  
  
The three of them looked over to the old woman who had just splashed Ranma   
while cleaning the sidewalk in front of her house.  
  
Ranma-chan sighed. "I'm going back to take a bath."  
  
Akane stopped her before she could leave. "What do you mean? We've got to   
get to school."  
  
"You think I want to show up like this? I'm a boy! If I have to go to   
school, I'm gonna register as one."  
  
"Look, all you need is hot water right? There's a place nearby where we can   
get some and still be on time for school."  
  
"Fine," Ranma sighed.  
  
"I'll go on ahead," Nathan said. "See you two at school."  
  
^^^^^  
  
Ranma waited outside the building Akane had walked into.  
  
'Just great. First day of school and this happens. At least I managed to   
apologize... I think.'  
  
She was so distracted by thinking about what had gone wrong in the last few   
days that she barely noticed a hand fall onto her shoulder. When she felt   
it, she quickly turned around.  
  
"BOO!" a skeleton shouted.  
  
"Gaaah!" Ranma leapt straight up and latched onto the wall.  
  
"Oh, didn't mean to scare you that badly," said a man wearing glasses and   
a brown gi. Ranma could now see that the man had been holding the   
skeleton.  
  
"This is Betty," the man said, making one of the skeleton's arms wave a   
greeting.  
  
"Uh, hi." Ranma dropped down from where she had jumped.  
  
"Can I help you with something?"  
  
*Clang!* "Tofu-sensei!"  
  
Ranma glared at Akane who had just dropped a kettle onto her head.  
  
"Good morning, Akane," Tofu said. "Is everything all right? No new injuries   
I hope?"  
  
"Hai. I'm fine. A couple bruises from sparring with Nathan yesterday, but   
that's all."  
  
"Good to hear."  
  
Ranma poured the hot water from the kettle over herself, and listened as   
Akane and Tofu continued to make small talk.  
  
"Well, I don't want to keep you any longer," Tofu said. "Don't want you to   
be late for school. Say hello to Nathan for me."  
  
"Hai, Tofu-sensei." Akane blinked. "Wait... Oh, no! Nathan!"  
  
She grabbed Ranma's arm and dashed off toward school. "Bye, Tofu-sensei!"  
  
Once Ranma managed to free himself from Akane's grip, he looked questioningly   
at her as they ran. "What's the hurry?"  
  
"I can't believe I almost forgot! He's not used to fighting them all by   
himself!"  
  
"What? What do you mean?" Ranma asked, not understanding.  
  
"We usually cover each other's backs, and they usually focus on me more   
than him."  
  
"What in the world are you talking about!?"  
  
It was at that point that they finally reached the school gates. Just past   
them, Ranma could see that the schoolyard was littered with the prone forms   
of dozens of boys in a miscellany of sports uniforms. Most of them seemed   
to be heavily bruised, though none had any serious injuries. Curiously,   
however, a decent number of them appeared to have no sign of any injuries   
even though they couldn't move.  
  
"What the...?" he started.  
  
Akane pointed, and Ranma then noticed that there were a group of about ten   
boys still up, surrounding Nathan.  
  
Nathan looked battered; his school uniform had a fair number of small rips   
and tears in it, and was holding his school bag vaguely like a shield. Most   
of the boys facing him were in a similar condition.  
  
A baseball player swung his bat to attack, only to have Nathan's bag thrown   
squarely into his face, sending him down. Nathan grabbed the falling bat as   
it was dropped, used it to parry a thrust from a shinai another boy in full   
kendo gear rushed to hit him with, and then tossed it at the boy's legs,   
tripping him. As the boy went down, Nathan poked at his lower spine with his   
index finger, seemingly making his collapse even faster.  
  
A kick lashed into a boxer's gut as Nathan leapt over a football player's   
tackle, striking at the back of his neck while doing so, sending both down.  
  
As he landed, however, Nathan was tripped by a sliding tackle from a soccer   
player, and was shortly struck with a shinai by another kendoist. He managed   
to roll away from following attacks and regained his footing. Dashing   
forward, he jabbed with a finger at a spot on the kendoist's arm, which   
immediately fell limp, and did the same on several spots on the soccer   
player's torso, causing both of his legs to collapse from under him.  
  
"Nathan!" Akane shouted, sounding angry.  
  
All the remaining combatants turned when they heard her, but Nathan quickly   
recovered and sped through his opponents while they were still distracted.   
Soon, he was the only boy left standing. Akane quickly jogged over to him.  
  
"Hiya, 'Kane," Nathan said, staggering slightly. "I managed to get them   
all. It was almost fun." He clutched his side and quietly added, "Ouch."  
  
"Baka! Why did you try to take them all on? Look at you! And besides,   
what about-"  
  
She was interrupted by something flung at her, which she snatched out of   
the air, revealing it to be a rose.  
  
"Kuno," Akane and Nathan said together in a resigned tone of voice.  
  
Said person stepped out from behind a tree. "How good it is to see you,   
lovely Akane. I noted that the gaijin Huss entered these grounds alone,   
and feared you had taken ill. I now can see that such fears were   
unwarranted, though I would have gladly come to tend you in your sickness   
should that have been the case."  
  
"Can we just skip him and go inside? Please? I tired myself out on the   
rest of them," Nathan whispered to Akane.  
  
"Wish we could, but I don't think he'll let us," Akane replied, eyeing Kuno   
as he continued to talk.  
  
"Will one of you please explain what just happened?" Ranma said, moving up   
next to them. "What's with all these guys attackin' Nathan?"  
  
Before Akane or Nathan could answer, Kuno pointed his bokken at Ranma.   
"Who are you to speak so familiarly to the fair Akane Tendo?"  
  
Ranma blinked. "Me? Well, I'm-"  
  
Kuno cut him off before he could get any further. "Ah, but is it not   
customary to give one's own name first? Very well, then! I am the rising   
star of the kendo world, the-"  
  
Nathan had scooped up a small stone from the ground, and chucked it at   
Kuno's head. The kendoist blocked it with his bokken. "Huss! How dare   
you interrupt one such as I!"  
  
"Just get to the end, Kuno," Nathan replied. "School's gonna start   
soon."  
  
"You will address me as Kuno-sempai, gaijin!" Kuno glared at him, and   
continued. "I am Tatewaki Kuno, the Blue Thunder of Furinkan High!"  
  
*CRACKTHOOM!*  
  
"If for nothing else, I admire him for being able to do that bit," Nathan   
said.  
  
Akane sighed. "Don't encourage him."  
  
"Now I ask again," Kuno said, pointing his bokken at Ranma, "What is your   
connection to Akane Tendo?"  
  
"Well, me and my pop are staying at the Tendos', and..."  
  
"What!? You dare sleep under the same roof as Akane? I shall not allow   
it!"  
  
With that, Kuno swung his bokken down at Ranma's head. The pig-tailed   
martial artist easily dodged. Tossing his school bag to Akane, who caught   
it out of reflex more than anything else, he said, "I am Ranma Saotome of   
the School of Anything Goes Martial Arts, and I accept your challenge!"  
  
"This is getting out of hand," Akane muttered. "We'll be late for class."  
  
"I think it's rather nice seeing someone else fight Kuno," said Nathan.   
"Besides, we're getting a chance to see how good Ranma is."  
  
"I guess, but..."  
  
She trailed off as Kuno attempted to attack Ranma. Despite how quick his   
strikes were, the pig-tailed boy easily dodged them, letting them hit   
either thin air or the occasional tree or wall behind him.  
  
"Wow, he's fast," Akane said in a slightly awed tone.  
  
"He'd better be, homeroom starts in three minutes. See ya." Nathan dashed   
past the fight and through the school doors.  
  
"What?" Akane looked up at the school clock and saw that Nathan was right.   
"Oh, no. Ranma! You're going to be late!" she yelled as she ran into the   
building.  
  
"Huh? Hey, wait up! I don't know where the classroom is!" Ranma exclaimed.   
"And you still have my bag!"  
  
"Do not ignore me, whelp!" Kuno shouted, and performed a vicious slash with   
his bokken. Ranma just slipped to the side, performed a roundhouse kick to   
Kuno's head, and then dashed after Akane.  
  
"That... did not hurt," Kuno said, and then collapsed.  
  
A little while later it began to rain.  
  
^^^^^  
  
Nathan walked into his homeroom and collapsed at his desk, grinning   
slightly. "Maybe me 'n Akane should take turns fighting them all off on   
our own," he mumbled. "It would make great training."  
  
He rested his head on the desk as he waited for the teacher to come in and   
begin class, but then realized something.  
  
"Aaah! My schoolbag! It's still outside!" He was about to run for the   
door when he noticed a girl was standing just behind him. "Oh, hi Umeko.   
What's up?"  
  
"Um... Nabiki-sempai said that you would have forgotten this during the so   
she had me go get it since we're in the same homeroom and all..." she said,   
holding out his schoolbag.  
  
"Oh, thanks! I had just remembered I had left it out there," he said as he   
took the bag and got out his stuff for class.  
  
Umeko Segawa was one of the girls that hung out with Nabiki, who besides   
being friends aided her with the betting pools and loans she made. She had   
also had the same homeroom as Nathan in junior high, so he had often seen   
her either there or when he was doing a favor for Nabiki.  
  
She was slightly more than half a foot shorter than he was, with a slender   
build. Her hair was dark brown, done in a medium length ponytail. Brown   
eyes looked at him as he unpacked, only to turn away when he noticed.  
  
He never really understood why she seemed a bit nervous around him. Must be   
his height or something.  
  
"So... are you okay? You looked kinda hurt after fighting all the guys."  
  
"I'm fine. I took a few hits, but nothing serious. I'll probably need to   
get my uniform mended, possibly have to buy a new one. Otherwise it's   
nothing I can't handle."  
  
Umeko smiled. "That's good. There were a few times when I was worried   
that they were going to really hurt you."  
  
"Nothing Tofu-sensei couldn't fix," Nathan said. "Maybe I could even do   
it myself. There are advantages to working for him." He got a funny look   
on his face, then mumbled something that sounded like, "Akane's going to be   
mad at me for that, if she realizes..."  
  
"What?"  
  
Smiling, Nathan shook his head. "Sorry, it's nothing serious."  
  
"If you say so," said Umeko. She fidgeted for a few moments. "Hey, Nathan?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
Before Umeko could continue further, the teacher walked into the room.   
Sighing slightly, she rushed back to her desk. Nathan just blinked,   
shrugged, and sat down at his own desk as class began.  
  
^^^^^  
  
Later, during lunch...  
  
"... so that's why you two have to fight all those guys?" Ranma asked.   
"Just because that Kuno guy made some speech or somthin'?"  
  
"Pretty much," Akane said. "We beat them every day, though, so it's no   
problem."  
  
Ranma, for lack of anywhere else to go during that time, was sitting with   
Akane, Nabiki, and a number of their friends as they ate.  
  
"So, where is Nathan, anyway? I kinda was expected him to be here with   
you guys," said Ranma.  
  
"Oh, he's over there," Nabiki said, absently pointing over to a tree a   
couple dozen meters away where Nathan was talking with a thin, sunken-eyed   
boy. "He used to sit with us, but the girl-talk became a bit much for him."  
  
"The fact that you actually tried to embarrass him didn't help, sempai,"   
Umeko said.  
  
"It was all in good fun," she replied, grinning. "How was I to know it   
would be so effective?"  
  
"The 'deer-in-the-headlights' expression he ended up getting should have   
been a clue, Nabiki," Akane said, wearing her own grin.  
  
Similar topics like this started bouncing back and forth among the girls,   
such as other ways of how to embarrass boys, which lead to just talking   
about boys, and very soon Ranma felt like maybe he should go join Nathan   
and that other boy.  
  
He was prevented from making that decision by the arrival of Kuno.  
  
"Saotome! Again I find you hounding after Akane Tendo!"  
  
Ranma blinked. "'Hounding'? I'm just having lunch."  
  
"So you would have some believe!"  
  
"Jeez... what's your problem?"  
  
"Oh, Kuno-chan's just upset that I wouldn't tell him anything useful about   
you during class," said Nabiki.  
  
"The very heavens would weep at the price you were asking for, Nabiki   
Tendo," Kuno said.  
  
"Hey, it's not like you couldn't afford it," Nabiki said with a shrug.  
  
"It matters not. I come to tell you, Saotome, that you should hope not to   
seize Akane Tendo's affections, for they belong solely to I."  
  
*Wham!*  
  
"You wish!" Akane shouted as she removed her fist from Kuno's face.  
  
After wobbling for a few seconds, Kuno regained his composure. "Ah, fair   
Akane, how you show your affection with such love taps."  
  
"Is he for real?" Ranma asked incredulously.  
  
"Unfortunately," Nathan said.  
  
"Gaaah!" Ranma had a feeling of deja vu as he saw that Nathan had somehow   
managed to approach without the pig-tailed martial artist ever noticing.   
"Don't do that!"  
  
Nathan shrugged apologetically, but the corners of his mouth were twitching   
upward slightly.  
  
"Kuno never seems to be affected no matter how much Akane or I pound him,"   
Nathan said. "In a way it's almost amusing."  
  
Akane glared at Nathan. "That's only because he doesn't hassle you as much   
as he does me. Also, he goes after you for totally different reasons."  
  
"True. It's still amusing."  
  
"You'll pay for that during sparring, Nate."  
  
"Ahem!" Kuno tried to return the focus back to him. Akane just punched him   
in the gut while Nathan did the same to his head, sending the kendoist down.  
  
"I don't know about that, 'Kane. I came pretty close to beating you   
yesterday. Bet I could beat you this time."  
  
"Oh, really? Fine. You. Me. Right after school."  
  
Ranma noticed that the two of them had actually been smiling during the   
entire exchange. At this point, however, Nathan grimaced.  
  
"Can't. I'm working at Tofu-sensei's today after school."  
  
"Oh," Akane said. "After you get back, then?"  
  
"Maybe. I have a fair amount of homework, but I'll see how quickly I can   
finish it," Nathan replied.  
  
"Okay."  
  
The bell rang then, and they all headed back in to class.  
  
Later, Kuno woke up and also went back inside.  
  
^^^^^  
  
After school...  
  
Ranma was walking with Akane, Nabiki, Nathan, and Hikaru Gosunkugi, the boy   
he had see with Nathan during lunch.  
  
"That was impressive," Nabiki said. "Kuno was nearly fifteen minutes late   
for class. You two really did a job on him with that double strike."  
  
"I suppose," Akane replied. "He'll just be back tomorrow, though."  
  
"At least he didn't find out about the engagement," Nathan said. "That   
would have really set him off."  
  
"Engagement?" asked Gosunkugi.  
  
"Stupid oyaji," said Ranma.  
  
"Tendo-sensei and Ranma's father are old friends. They decided to unite   
their martial arts schools by engaging their kids."  
  
"Ranma's an only child, and Akane was elected from us Tendos," Nabiki said.   
"So, at least as far as dad and Mr. Saotome are concerned, Ranma and Akane   
are fiancées."  
  
Akane and Ranma both grumbled at that.  
  
"F-f-fiancées?" Gosunkugi stuttered.  
  
"Yeah. Oh, Nabiki," Nathan said. "I almost forgot to thank you for having   
Umeko get my bag when I forgot it during the fight this morning."  
  
Nabiki blinked. "Huh? I didn't have her do that. In fact, I hadn't seen   
her all day until lunch."  
  
"Eh? You didn't?"  
  
Nabiki shook her head.  
  
"Why did she say that you had?" he wondered. Akane and Nabiki exchanged a   
glance, and sighed.  
  
The group came up to Tofu's clinic, and Nathan just shrugged. "Oh well.   
See you guys at home. Later, Hikaru." With that, he walked inside the   
building.  
  
"So what does he do there?" Ranma asked as the rest of them continued on.  
  
"Various things," Akane said. "He answers phone calls, treats some of the   
minor injuries that people come in with, keeps track of the supplies, stuff   
like that."  
  
"Hmm... I guess that's where he learned those pressure points he was usin'   
this morning?"  
  
"Pressure points?" Akane suddenly frowned. "Hey, that's right! And he   
hasn't been using those during sparring! He hasn't been going all out on   
me!"  
  
"He's supposed to fight you all out?" asked Ranma.  
  
"Of course. How else are we supposed to improve?"  
  
"But... you're a girl."  
  
"So? I'm still a martial artist!" On seeing Ranma's still-skeptical look,   
she growled. "Don't believe me? All right then! How about _we_ spar,   
then?"  
  
Nabiki just shook her head as she watched this continue. "This ought to be   
interesting. Hey Hikaru, isn't this where you turn to go home?"  
  
"What?" The boy blinked. "Oh... right... Bye."  
  
As Akane, Ranma, and Nabiki headed on to the Tendo Dojo, Gosunkugi just   
stood at the intersection.  
  
"Akane has a... fiancée?"  
  
^^^^^  
  
"Come on! Fight me for real!"  
  
Ranma and Akane were currently in the dojo, sparring. Well, to be more   
precise, Akane was trying to hit Ranma, while he was dodging all of her   
attacks.  
  
"Dammit, stop dodging like that!"  
  
"Look, just what are you so worked up about?" Ranma asked as he flipped over   
a kick aimed at his side. He had to quickly block a punch that came at him   
unexpectedly. He blinked in surprise as he did, realizing that she was   
better than he had originally taken her for. That was the third time she   
had nearly gotten him.  
  
"You're not taking me seriously! Come on and actually fight back!"  
  
"But... I'd have ta hit you."  
  
"Yes, your point is?" she asked in an aggravated voice.  
  
"You're a girl."  
  
Akane stopped her assault and glared at him. "You... you..."  
  
Without further word, she stomped out of the dojo.  
  
"Man, what's her problem?"  
  
^^^^^  
  
Nathan yawned as he walked in through the front door that evening.  
  
"Tadaima!"  
  
"Okaeri," was replied from somewhere inside. After he had taken off his   
shoes and headed inside, he walked over to the kitchen. He was vaguely   
surprised to see Nabiki in there, absently stirring a pot on the stove   
while reading a book.  
  
"Hi Nab. Where's Kasumi?"  
  
Nabiki looked up from the book. "Oh, hi Nate-chan. She's left already,   
but she had most of the food done. Dinner's almost ready."  
  
"Ah. I thought her classes didn't start for a while yet," he said.  
  
"They don't. She just wanted to head out a bit early. Probably going to   
study with some friends or something before class starts."  
  
They both felt a slight tremor through the floorboards as Akane stalked   
into the kitchen. She immediately walked up to Nate and glared at him.  
  
"Aah... um... Hi, 'Kane. What's up?"  
  
"Why didn't you tell me you knew some pressure points?"  
  
"It... never came up?"  
  
Nabiki just stood back and watched, also trying to keep Akane from noticing   
that the food was still cooking.  
  
"You never used them during our sparring matches. What, didn't think I   
could handle them?" Akane asked.  
  
Nathan blinked. "Akane, that is sparring. S-P-A-R-R-I-N-G. It's just   
practice. The point is to test our skills and improve. Not beat each   
other into a pulp. You don't know how to counter them, so if I used any   
pressure points it would be over too quickly."  
  
Akane frowned, considering this. "You could have at least told me."  
  
"Weeeell... I was kinda holding them in reserve. You've been winning   
more often lately, so I was going to use them if I couldn't beat you   
otherwise."  
  
"I see," Akane said. "I'll just have to watch out for them now, won't I.   
After all, I can't have my winning streak ruined." She grinned.  
  
"That's it, your going down next fight," said Nathan. "You won't stand a   
chance against my skill! I shall be triumphant!"  
  
"Watch it, Nate-chan," Nabiki interjected. "You were beginning to sound   
a bit like Kuno there."  
  
Akane looked over at her sister. "Don't say scary stuff like that.   
Hey! Dinner's not done yet? Great! I have some ideas..."  
  
"Ack!" Nabiki's eyes bulged. "Nonono! It's done!"  
  
^^^^^^^^^^  
  
Author's Notes:  
  
Finally got another chapter done... Must stop getting so distracted by   
shiny objects in the future.  
  
Anyway, I'd like to thank those that preread this chapter for me: Taiteki   
Kagato (Taitekikagato@aol.com), Ame Suisei (StLonginus@aol.com), Hpackrat   
(hpackrat@yahoo.com), Gemini 3 (thrdtwin@hotmail.com), and Myrmiddon   
(myrmiddon@hotmail.com).  
  
Please C&C with any questions, comments, suggestions, etc. to   
Wakoid2@aol.com.  
  
On to the next chapter! 


End file.
